Lantern globe



Nov. 25, 1941. P. E. GABRI EL I LANTERN GLOBE Filed March 1, 1939 2 Shasta-Sheet l Z'mventor Nov. 25, 1941. P. EQYGAABRIEL LANTERN GLOBE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil ed March 1, 1939 Patented Nov. 25, 1941 LANTERN GLOBE Philip E. Gabriel, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit Metal Products, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 1, 1939, Serial No. 259,224

7 Claims.

This invention relates, in general, to lanterns and, in particular, to a new and improved type of globe therefor.

The main object of this invention is to provide a new and improved type of lantern globe the body of which is unbreakable and the lens or lenses of which are easily and readily replaceable, said globe being inexpensive, rigid and attractive in construction and assembly and safe and efiicient in use.

Another object is to provide a lantern with an improved globe which is of composite construction for preventing the total breakage thereof and for permitting the ready replacement of its breakable parts.

Another object is to provide an improved lantern globe having a sectionally' constructed unbreakable body and means operable for holding the sections of the body in assembly and at the same time for holding the lenses in their proper positions on and with respect to said body and each other. Another object is to provide in a lantern globe having blind spots between the lenses, due to the construction of the globe body or casing itself, an improved construction of lens which eliminates shadows inherent in heretoforeconstructions of lenses and casts light rays therefrom through a substantially 360 arc.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from a reference to the following specification and taken in conjunction with the accompanying. drawings of which there are two (2) sheets and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a lantern globe illustrative of the present invention;

Fig. 2 isa sectional View taken along the lines 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the showing in Fig, 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a lantern having incorporated therewith the lantern globe shown in Fig. 1.

In the figures there is shown a lantern globe, generally indicated at It, of composite construction and adapted for non-breakability of its body and ready replaceability of its parts. The body of globe l0 comprises a pair of sheet metal sections l2 and M, dome-shaped and. cooperative, when assembled, to provide a substantially spherical body or casing.

are preferably stamped or otherwise formed from the same die, for simplicity, so that said sections are cooperable for forming an attractive, sturdy and symmetrical body unit for the globe Ill. The abutting edges of sections [2 and M are each provided with a series of equally spaced, semicircular depressions of substantially equal centers and radii so that, upon assembly of said sections, said depressions cooperate to form a like series of circular lens openings [6 in the surface of the body unit of the globe i6, openings l6 thereby having equal diameters, equal spacings between each other, and their centers occupying a common plane.

For assembling together the sections I2 and M and thereafter rigidly holding same in assembled position, there is provided a series of securing plates l8 which are disposed one between each pair of adjacent lens openings It. For the sake of simplicity and economy these plates l8 are preferably constructed from the otherwise waste material which was stamped out or otherwise removed from the sections l2 and M for forming the openings 16. After sections l2 and H! are disposed in abutting relation so that the semi-circular depressions in each are properly aligned for providing the circular openings IS, the plates l8, which preferably have the same curvature as the assembled body casing of the globe Ill, are placed on the inner facings of the sections l2 and I4 centrally with respect to the plane of abutment between said sections, one plate being so disposed between each adjacent pair of lens openings l6, and the plates are then 7 temporarily secured thereat to said facings by rivetslQ and then permanently secured by spot welding, or by any other well known means. Plates l8 extend vertically along. the inner facings of the sections I 2 and M for a substantial distance on either side of said plane of abutment, and the side edges of each plate E3, in addition to being spaced from the two openings l-B- separated by said plate and curved to conform to the curvature of said openings, are provided with flanges 20 each of which is up raised from that casing section 12 or M and directed toward that opening it to which it is most adjacent. with the inner walls of the casingrsections l2 and 14, said pockets being spaced from and bo1dering the lens openings It and having their openings directed toward said lens openings Hi.

Each of the lens openings iii is closed by a screen or lens 22 preferably having a center of Sesctions 2 and M curvature similar to that of sections l2 and 14,

Therefore, the flanges 29 form pockets so that the exterior surfaces of the globe casing and the lens are continuous and flush, and a diameter slightly greater than that of the opening, so that the lens, in closing the opening therefor from within the casing, is marginally held by the wall of the opening against outward displacement therefrom. The lens 22 in each case is held at its periphery in the opening l6 between those flanges 20 on plates l8 which are in opposed relation to each other, thereby being lodged in said aforementioned pockets. A snap ring 24 of ordinary construction is employed for each lens 22 and is disposed between the periphery of the lens and the flanges 20 overlapping same for removably holding said lens in place with respect to the opening I6 covered thereby;

In addition to the outer surface of each of the lenses 22 having a center of curvature similar to that of the outer surfaces of the casing sections [2 and I4, it also has a radius of curvature similar to that of said sections. These provisions insure the continuity and symmetry of and between said outer surfaces of lens and casing and give to each a similarity of contour, thereby eliminating undesirable discontinuations in the general outer contour of the assembled globe which would otherwise present possibilities of comparatively easy breakage of the lenses and would give to the globe in general an unattractive appearance.

The inner surface of each of the lenses 22,

radially inwardly of the portion of the annular periphery thereof which is retained by the wall of the lens opening i6, is provided with a series of concentrically disposed, annular depressions 23, 25 and 21, said depressions being curved about centers of curvatur lying within the globe I and having different radii. The annular depression 23 is of such form as to utilize in an advantageous manner all the rays of light emanating along the vertical axis of the globe I0.- Accordingly the rays pass through the surface of the depression with little or no deflection. This provision tends toward maximum dispersion of the light energy within the globe l0 through a maximum arc of diversion and reduces the blindspot effect caused by the portions of the globe casing lying between the lenses 22 to a minimum. In other words, the light emanating from the globe H3 is permitted to pass freely, without re- I fraction, from and through those peripheral portions of the lenses 22 immediately adjacent the walls of openings 16 and permit the illuminated lantern globe to be seen equally as well from practically any position radially therefrom. The aggregate effect, it goes Without saying, is that light emanates from the globe l0 through an arc of 360 and that the light, though not uniformly distributed over said arc because of the inherent nature of the globe, is more readily seen from any point along said are because of the novel construction of the lenses 22 employed and notwithstanding the blind spots necessarily caused by the opaque metal between said lenses.

The annular ridges between the depressions 23 and 25 and 25 and 21 provide the necessary discontinuances in uniformity of lens thickness so as to obtain proper dispersion of the light being refracted thereat, the centers and radii of said depressions in general being such that the light is dispersed through the arcs of said depressions. Also, the elimination of angularity between the steps or sections of the inner surface of the lens permit said inner surface to be readily and thoroughly cleaned of the soot and dirt inevitably deposited thereupon due to the universal use of fuel, such as kerosene, in lanterns. The depression 21, which also has a curvature, permits substantial concentration of the light thereat and its passage therethrough for the formation of what is known a a cats eye outwardly some distance from the lens. However, due to the minimization of ridges or abrupt steps on the inner surface of the lens except for the number necessary for proper magnification, and due to the maximum widening of the arc of dispersion because of the heretofore discussed curvature of the depression 23, the concentration of light at said cat's eye is reduced and much of the light which would otherwise have been concentrated thereat is more widely dispersed over a larger area of illumination, and, said area of illumination is clearly outlined by some of said light.

The casing sections I2 and [4 of the globe body are provided, respectively, with cylindrical portions 26 and 2-8 which are coaxial with the axis of the globe, portion 28 being provided with an annular shoulder 39.

As shown in Fig. 6, the assembled globe I0 is incorporated in the usual lantern, generally indicated at 32, with the cylindrical portion 26 of section l2 in the usual position with respect to the chimney 34 of the lantern 32, and with the shoulder 38 on cylindrical portion 28 of section 54 in the usual position with respect to the reservoir 36 of the lantern 32.

Although the invention has been described with some detail it is not intended that such description be definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the specification and drawings as will come within the purview of the attached claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a lantern globe, a plurality of sections forming a casing, an opening in said casing, a lens for closing said opening, and means for holding said sections together and retaining said lens in said opening, said means comprising a member in spanning relation to said sections and being secured to each thereof and having a lip in overlapping engagement with said lens.

2. In a lantern globe, a plurality of sections forming a casing, an opening in said casing, a lens for closing said opening, and means for holding said sections together and retaining said lens in said opening, said means comprising a member in spanning relation to the inner facings of said sections and being secured thereat to each thereof and having a lip in overlapping engagement with said lens.

3. In a lantern globe, a plurality of sections forming a casing, an opening in said casing, a lens for closing said opening, and retainer means for said lens and serving also to hold said sections together, said retainer means comprising a plate extending between said sections and being secured to each thereof and having a portion overlappingly engaging said lens.

4. In a lantern globe, a plurality of metallic sections formed for abutting relation to provide a hollow casing, an opening in said casing, a retainer member extending across and secured to the inner facings of said sections adjacent said opening for holding said sections in said abutting relation, said member having a flange, and a lens in said opening substantially flush with said casing and held in said flush engagement by said flange.

5. In a lantern globe, a pair of metallic sections formed for abutting relation to provide a hollow casing, a series of spaced openings provided in said casing, a series of retainer plates secured to said sections for drawing and maintaining said sections in said abutting relation and one being disposed between each adjacent pair of said openings, said plates having flanges disposed toward said openings, and lenses in said openings and held in place therein by said flanges of said plates.

6. In a lantern globe, a pair of sections formed for abutting relation to provide a casing, a series of spaced openings provided in said casing, a series of securing plates secured one between each pair of adjacent openings to said sections for rigidly holding said sections in said abutting relation, each of said plates having flanges disposed toward the two openings there adjacent, said flanges being spaced from said casing for providing pockets therebetween, and a lens for each of said openings and seated in place in the pockets bounding the respective opening for being removably held in said opening thereby.

'7. In a lantern globe, a plurality of sections forming a casing, an opening in said casing, a lens for closing said opening, and retainer means on the inner facings of said sections secured to said sections to hold said sections together, said retainer means overlying said opening to retain said lens in said opening PHILIP E. GABRIEL. 

